Sniper: Ultimate Kill (2017)

Having been watching the "Sniper" movies since the very first movie, which I had on VHS. Then I have been more and more disappointed as the franchise progressed.This 2017 addition to the franchise was actually the better of the last couple of "Sniper" movies.Sure the plot was predictable, but the acting was good and the action was good. So that made it up for the movie having a very generic and straight forward plot.The sniping sequences were especially good, which did add a lot of flavor to the movie. The special effects in "Sniper: Ultimate Kill" were quite good, and I had not expect to see this kind of graphic violence in a movie such as this.I was genuinely surprised and entertained with this movie.It was quite interesting to have both Billy Zane and Tom Berenger return to reprise the two characters whom started the franchise, despite they did nothing more than just stand around and talk. Would have been a nice treat to have them return to the field as snipers.

The SNIPER movies have gone up and down as far as quality goes. The original film released in 1993 was a solid piece that offered more depth of story involving a professional sniper matched with an office type sent out to take down a rebel leader in Panama. The action was there but the interplay between the characters lifted this out of direct to DVD status. Subsequent films haven't matched the first one but this one comes close.Jesus Morales, a Colombian drug lord, is employing a professional sniper known as El Diablo to take out his competition. In doing so he will then control not just the drug trade but all smuggling operations coming out of South America.The DEA is concerned about his efforts and feels that the best thing to do is take him down before he can achieve his goal. The problem is he moves from location to location, never in the same place twice in as many days. And once they do find him they need to not only take him down but make sure that El Diablo doesn't take them out at the same time.To aid in this mission Washington liaison Richard Miller (Billy Zane recreating his role from the first film) recruits Brandon Beckett (Chad Michael Collins), perhaps the best sniper the U.S. has. Arriving in Colombia Brandon is whisked off to the task force's headquarters where he learns the man on the ground running things is Thomas Beckett (Tom Berenger also recreating his role from the first film), his father. The two are glad to see one another and the plan is explained led by DEA agent Kate Estrada (Danay Garcia).Word has reached the task force of Morales possible location and they launch a team to take him prisoner on a remote farm. The problem is that the location was a trap to take out the task force as the building there blows sky high. This is followed by the efforts of El Diablo to take out the rest of the team from a distant sniper location. Only the skills of Brandon on hand with the team saves those few who remain unscathed. Reviewing the remains of the attack the team discovers that El Diablo is using new technology, a smart bullet that tracks its intended victim.Another attack on the team leaves them realizing that there is a mole in their midst providing information to Morales. Unwilling to sit back and wait to be taken out, Brandon and Kate take to hiding on their own and looking for information. No longer completely plugged in to the system their odds of survival increase. If only El Diablo can be neutralized and Morales taken down.The movie is a solid B-film when it comes to major releases and yet it doesn't come off that way in execution. The acting is better than most films released this way to begin with. The story seems more plausible than most and holds your interest from start to finish. Seeing Berenger and Zane together again is also an added plus to this one.As to why the film had bad timing it was released far too close to the sniper shootings in Las Vegas. Odds are good that most people weren't interested in watching a movie about such a tender subject at the time. I know it pushed my review back a few weeks due to a sense of respect for those victims. The amount of gore in the film from the killings of El Diablo also helped with that decision.But if you've enjoyed the other films in the series you'll enjoy this one as well. It offers plenty of action combined with story and above par acting that will keep you watching till the end credits roll. While watching I kept thinking that the way the story is told reminded me of more than one Jack Reacher or Mitch Rapp book that I've read in the past. Consider that a plus for this outing.

Not intended to be a blockbuster, but this is a slick production with some quite credible characters. Kate Estrada (Danay Garcia), the agent obsessed with bringing down drug-lord Morales gave a tough, refreshing performance, but equally I enjoyed Brandon Beckett's (Chad Michael Collins) calm, strong portrayal of the good-guy sniper.No deep plots to overthrow the world here, but the relatively simple linear story-line followed though logically and made sense to my simple brain. Unlike many so-called masterpieces, this is a movie which one can digest in one careful viewing, but it had enough surprises to be interesting.The hints of advanced projectile systems was something about which I wish more had been said, the few tidbits which were given, tantalized.8/10 from me, a lot more than the current 5.6.

This is a continuation of the Sniper series. Tom Berenger, Columbia, Cartel with its own sniper. Mole in the group. Danay Garcia provides DEA eye candy. Billy Zane does what Billy Zane does best, provides some humor to the film. Fairly straight forward and predictable. Action is mostly high powered rifles taking long distant shots.Guide: F-word, sex, nudity. 8 stars on the Billy Zane scale.